Tag Archives: Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas

The Vegetarian Festival of Phuket – A Festival to Honour the Nine Emperor Gods

Posted on by

The Vegetarian Festival of Phuket is an annual event that commences on the 20th of October 2017 and lasts a total of eight days.

File:Face Piercing Phuket Vegetarian Festival 24.jpg

Joseph Ferris III, Face Piercing Phuket Vegetarian Festival 24, CC BY 2.0

What is it for?

The vegetarian festival celebrates the Chinese belief that refraining from the consumption of meat and other stimulants will help the believers in obtaining peace of mind and good health.

Origins

It is believed that a Chinese opera group contracted malaria while touring the island. Over the next few days, they adopted a vegetarian diet and prayed to the Nine Emperor Gods. After their prayers were answered, the locals celebrated with a festival to honour the Gods.

The Ceremonies

Some of the ceremonies which are held to please the gods include body piercing; with large rods, knives, skewers etc., firewalking and other self-mortification acts.

Where do these take place?

Each of these ceremonies takes places inside the six temples around Phuket; the main one being Jui Tui Shrine, located in the main town. As this is a popular time to visit Phuket, hotel deals are quite easy to find, especially at properties such as Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas. If you’re planning to head here during this time, pre book your stay!

The Commitments

Those participating in the event are to abstain from consuming meat, alcohol and intercourse. Participants are required to ensure their body is clean and white attire is compulsory. People who are mourning, pregnant or menstruating are not allowed to attend or participate in the festival.

Fritzjames Stephen is a travel writer, who writes content based on the myriad of experiences and indulgences that the world has to offer travellers across all walks of life.

Google+

Songkaran Festival Phuket – An Island Wide Water Fight

Posted on by

Do you love waterfights? Do you consider yourself to be the best at it? Head over to Phuket, Thailand from April 13th to April 15th and take part in the island wide water fight, also known as Songkran Festival. This festival marks the start of the Thai New Year. Phuket is believed to be one of the most popular places to celebrate the Songkran festival in Thailand and if you’re looking for a luxury Phuket hotel to stay at during this time, such as Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas, be sure to book well in advance! Phuket is the largest island in Thailand and is usually referred to as the Pearl of the Andaman.

If you plan on visiting the island during the time of the festival, make sure you’re not driving or riding a bike, as when water is thrown at you, your impulse would be to close your eyes, which could probably lead to a few crashes! So walk during the festival to wherever it is you need to go! Make sure you invest in a waterproof camera aswell, because there’s a high chance of ruining your non waterproof camera or phone – be prepared to be completely drenched in water. At times, the water is dyed with some coloured powder, so avoid wearing expensive clothes during the festival period. There are plenty of water guns for sale during this time, and don’t be surprised if you see a cop pointing one at you aswell! But don’t worry; you can drench them in water too, as they’ll most likely be doing the same to you!

During the Songkran festival, locals give thanks to Lord Buddha while visiting monasteries and temples and giving alms to monks. To cater to the large number of tourists attending the festival, there are also plenty of stalls selling clothes and local crafts.

Auburn Silver is a travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.

Google+